


Musicians and Magicians

by PhoenixPlume117



Series: Continuity Timeline [1]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: African Culture, Amazigh culture, Anthropology, Berbur culture, Debutante Ball, F/M, Guitar, Intercultural Couple, Jagged Stone Anarka Couffaine history, Le Bal des Débutantes, Luxury Fashion, Music, POV Multiple, Piano, Poet by bastille, Time Travel, all character reveal except chat noir and ladybug, archeology, high society - Freeform, long story, mythology cultural knowledge anthropology, romeo juliet trope, slowburn, story based on songs, tribal tattoos
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-29
Updated: 2020-08-17
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:53:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 15,597
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22460641
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PhoenixPlume117/pseuds/PhoenixPlume117
Summary: Every November the elite of the world send their children to Paris to debut at Le Bal des Débutantes.  Mr. Kubdel as head of the Louvre has secured an invitation for Alix who doesn't want to go but feels duty bound as she's the first native African to be invited as she would be representing the Imazighn people.  While planning for her debut she begins to see her friend's brother in a new light.  While Luka had seen Alix he'd never noticed her until now.  What he thought was just helping a friend might turn into more.(Teen rating might go up... probably will go up beware)
Relationships: Alya Césaire & Nino Lahiffe, Alya Césaire/Nino Lahiffe, Ivan Bruel & Mylène Haprèle, Ivan Bruel/Mylène Haprèle, Juleka Couffaine & Rose Lavillant, Juleka Couffaine/Rose Lavillant, Luka Couffaine | Viperion/Alix Kubdel | Bunnyx, Luka Couffaine/Alix Kubdel, Marc Anciel & Nathaniel Kurtzberg, Marc Anciel/Nathaniel Kurtzberg
Series: Continuity Timeline [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1544362
Comments: 12
Kudos: 13





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by Poet by Bastille. Specifically the lines "I have written you down, Now you will live forever, And all the world will read you, And you will live forever" but if you take the time to listen to the song and or read the lyrics you'll see the entire song will unfold throughout the story.
> 
> While I'm pretty sure they'll end up together (in cannon) This story does NOT always fit cannon
> 
> This story will be the closest to the tv show's timeline and the earliest in Marinette & Adrien's lifetime of stories. In this chapter I'll give you all the characters so you know who they are in future stories. 
> 
> Bonne lecture♡ PP

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The girls get together to make Alix feel better about having to change her life to make her father and grandmother happy. At weekly practice Pegasus proposes the team plays "a game" to guess who everyone is since Ladybug isn't there to tell them not to. Luka proposes Alix moves to the boat if her father is being so commandeering.

2017

Luka walked to the kitchen to get some water and found Marinette hand mixing in some yummy concoction in a large bowl while his mother's electric mixer agitated some heavenly smelling blend of sugar, flour, and whatever it was that was made that made that smell. He looked on the counter and found three batches of different pastries cooling. Lucky day! That had definitely been a bonus of dating Marinette, best 2 kg he'd ever gained. He reached for a madeline but before he could even get near it a silicone spatula hit the top of his hand.

Rose's hand held the spatula and she looked up to Luka, "Nope, those are for Alix."

Luka would have laughed but he could tell she was serious. Then he realized what she meant, "Is she doing some kind of fundraiser or marathon?"

Marinette walked over after adding something to the bowl and stirred while whispering, "No, her father and grandmother are making her come out at le Bal des Débutantes."

Luka truly thought they must be joking this time. Alix was the most put together of Julika's friends. But a debutante she was not. "I can see why she would be angry but why is she upset?" Normally the girls were busy comforting Marinette but today everyone was furiously comforting Alix. And although he couldn't see her, he could hear her. She wasn't crying but her voice sounded quiet and miserable, nothing like her normal boisterous happy voice, only her cadence was the same. 

Marinette answered, "Her father has already started buying replacement clothes. His only concession is black clothes and he gave her her mother's designer snake earrings early. After the debut he told her she's expected to dress, 'like a young lady of quality,' whatever that is supposed to mean. He's making her get rid of everything, like a- a tyrant!" Marinette stirred the cookie dough with agitated strokes until his mom came over and put a hand on her wrist.

"That looks delicious," Anarka complimented her, "Why don't you get it in the oven and I'll take over from here."

He tried once more to see what was going on but the girls looked like they were in warrior mode, protecting their fallen friend. He turned to his mom but she just smiled and shook her head at him as if to say, this wasn't the time. He nodded and went back to his room with the large glass bottle of water. When he got there he saw he'd gotten a text

**Fifi:** Where are you?

He looked at the time at the top of his phone. Practice! How could he have forgotten?

**Secondary Account:** Sorry! I'll be there in 5 minutes

"Sass! We gotta go, I forgot about practice Rena is gonna be upset."

Sass came over but he knew Rena herself was in the next room along with quite a few of their team. Practice might as well be canceled.

¤¤¤

When he arrived at the Calisthenics Park under Pont de Grenelle the lack of the heroines was obvious. Only Queen Bee, Fidélité, and Ryuko represented the girls while all the guys were there except Chat. Rena had made it clear their practice sessions were not for Chat and Ladybug. She said they got enough practice just doing their jobs on a daily basis. 

Fidelite was looking at her phone. "Does anyone know where the rest of the team is?"

Viperion knew where Ladybug was, and he had a pretty strong feeling about Lace. No, he _knew_ his little sister was Lace he just couldn't prove it. 

Fidelite was furiously texting, "It's fine, I'll just send a mass text."

He stepped forward and put his hand over her phone's screen, "No, if you do you'll reveal their identities."

Everyone perked up.

Fidelite stopped, "What do you mean?"

"We've talked about who we think everyone is, well all of those people are at my-" he backtracked, "Uh, I saw them together. Something happened and they're all comforting one of them."

Fidelite rolled her eyes, "Marinette is such a spaz."

Viperion became irritated. "Is that necessary?"

Fidelite looked him straight in the eye, "If you knew her, you might not be so quick to defend. She was dating the hottest guy ever, the bassist of Kitty Section but she broke up with him because she's a spaz, she had it all but she just wants more."

Pegasus strolled over, before Viperion could say anything, "Sounds like jealousy."

Fidelite blushed, "It's not."

Yang, Ziggy's chosen, who'd been listening to the conversation since Marinette's name had come up. She was not only his friend but she had introduced him to his boyfriend, comic book partner and now they even got to work together as heros he thought smiling over at Oilarra. But he understood Fidelite, over the weeks he'd gotten to know her he'd realized she wasn't quite ready for the world to judge her for a choice she was perfectly happy with herself. Maybe today was the day, maybe it wasn't but it wouldn't be because of an accident or because of someone hurting her… even if she was being nasty about Marinette. He got up from stretching with Fort the large boy and chosen of the ox miraculous and walked over to change the subject, "So, are we getting started?"

Carapace walked over with Oilarra the red head caretaker of Orriko the rooster kwami.

Monkey King looked at the water, "Do you think LB will give us the stuff so we can go underwater?"

Carapace clapped his hands, obviously Alya was busy, Adrien must have broken Mari's heart or something, he'd have to catch up with them after this. "Okay, let's just do one circuit around then take a run. Sound like a plan?"

Pegasus shook his head, "I think we should vote to see if we know who each other are."

Viperion looked at him sharply, Marinette would take their miraculi if she found out, at the very least she'd kill them, "I don't think that's a good idea."

Carapace frowned, "That's not funny, LB would kill us."

Monkey King nodded, "I want to know too!"

Pegasus told them the rules, "This is how it will work, but only if everyone agrees they know someone's identity does that person have to say who they are. For example," he pointed to Fort, "I've already ran the odds, statistically you are 98% likely to be Ivan Bruel."

Fort immediately turned pink and crossed his arms.

Pegasus, "That doesn't mean I'm right, although you should practice not being obvious Ivan. Then everyone else has to guess, if everyone guesses the same person then you have to say whether or not you are or aren't."

Carapace looked a little ill. He wasn't actually in charge but he had a feeling he was going to be blamed for this.

Monkey King piped up, "Ivan."

Viperion shrugged, "Sorry, Ivan."

Fort frowned, everyone guessed, was he _that_ obvious? "So, now I just tell you who I am?"

Pegasus' face lit up, his eyes probably did too but they were hidden behind their pince-nez, "If you're Ivan, you say you are, if you aren't you say you aren't but it's up to you if you want to tell us who you are.

Fort sighed, "I don't think this is fair, the girls aren't here."

Viperion smiled, Fort was so obviously his drummer, "come on, the faster we finish this the faster we can get to work."

Fort frowned, "Easy for you to say, no one will know who you are." He grumbled under his breath, "yeah, I'm Ivan. Don't tell LB!"

Pegasus' smile disappeared, "This is a team secret! Ladybug and Chat have their stuff, this is just us, we aren't telling them. Besides, if I'm right, this will make our lives a lot easier. Okay what about me?"

"Max"

"Max"

"Max"

"Max"

"Seriously?" All the excitement left Pegasus as he noticed the team members who hadn't said anything were nodding their agreement.

Monkey King patted his shoulder, "Sorry, Buddy, you're really smart, and you talk about statistics too much."

Pegasus nodded, "See, that's the stuff that is important we are learning, and yes, I'm Max. Now," he looked at his phone, "Viperion, 72% probability it's Julika's brother Luka but I ran it again and it came out 85% Adrien other possibilities are Theo the guy who's with Luka in his _Terminale_ and this one is really weird but Adrien's father."

Fort smiled, and Viperion knew he was in trouble, "Luka Couffaine, Julika's brother."

Monkey King frowned, "Adrien."

Pegasus looked thoughtful, "It doesn't really matter what I guess because we have conflicting answers, you don't have to answer."

Fort's mouth dropped open, "That's not fair, what if the girls were here, some of them might not have guessed."

The side of Viperion's mouth lifted in half a smile.

Pegasus looked at Fort, "Fort, they would have guessed and they would have guessed me too. But I guess it would be more fun with the girls. Does anyone want us to guess them?"

Monkey King patted his chest, "Do me!"

"Kim"

"Kim"

"Kim"

As with Pegasus everyone was either saying his name or nodding. the only difference was Monkey King was loving it. "How'd you know?"

Pegasus laughed, "You are exactly the same person in costume as you are out of it."

Monkey King laughed, "Cool."

Rena ran up to the group, "Sorry, I'm late!"

Over the next 5 minutes the rest of their team assembled

Queen Bee twisted her battle top open, "Rena, I'm going to have to go in 10 minutes."

Ryuko nodded, "I have to leave at 1700 too."

Rena nodded, "Sure, actually do you guys want to just cancel today since practice technically ends in 15?"

Everyone agreed.

"Or!" Pegasus interrupted, "We could play our new game."

Rena looked at Carapace who looked a little ill, "Game?"

Pegasus helpfully explained.

"And you've already played a few rounds I presume?" she asked.

"Four, Fort, Myself, Viperion, and Monkey King," he replied, not realizing Rena's voice had become scarily soft.

"Explain to me how as smart as you are, you thought playing a _game_ like that would be wise under a bridge in a public place where anyone could be listening?!" she said her voice increasing in voluming with each word. She took a breath, "Did you get any right?"

"All but Viperion," he said no longer smug.

Rena stepped close and whispered through clenched teeth, "so what you are proudly saying is anyone could have overheard all of you saying that you are Max, he's Ivan and he's Kim? Sheesh aren't you supposed to be smart Pegasus?"

Pegasus felt his face flush with shame.

Lace spoke up looking at Viperion, "So let's go some place not public."

Rena looked at her, "Like?"

The tiger miraculous holder was much more commanding when she was transformed but she was always more comfortable when she was with friends, she looked at everyone, "If everyone can guess who I am, then we can go to my house," she said looking at Viperion again.

Oratrice the chosen of the pig kwami spoke up first in a whisper, "Julika!" then hugged her making it completely obvious who _she_ was.

Multi Mouse looked at Lace closely, then walked around her then nodding she whispered, "Julika."

Bunnyx looked irritated, "It's Julika, let's go it's dangerous doing this out here, Rena's right, you all know better."

Viperion noticed for the first time the pink haired hero did not look like she was ready to step on the world and declare herself champion.

After opting to run since they were so close they made it to the _Liberty_ in three minutes, Lace hid and de-transformed quickly to board and tell Anarka that she had met up with the Miraculous team and invited them over. Anarka agreed and gave them their space telling them she had intended to go out anyway.

The _Liberty_ was a spacious vessel, a canal style houseboat moored along the Seine but unusual in the fact it could still sail when the mood took the captain, which it did quite often as she had a strong sense of wanderlust. So when Julika ushered her friends aboard they were all able to find places to lounge most in their typical locations making them easy to pick out. 

Rena stood next to Carapace and looked to Pegasus, "I think the smart way to do this is if you've been figured out, de-transform. Ryuko and Queen Bee you have to leave so you two are next."

Fort, King Monkey and Pegasus detransformed and their Kwami's sat on Ivan's drum set watching with interest while .

Rena looked at Bunnyx, "Is this okay? Can you check?"

Bunnyx sighed, "I think it's okay, Fluff would have warned me if we were going to do something stupid."

Rena looked to Carapace who shrugged in response. "Alright Max, Queen Bee?"

Max pulled Markoff out of his duffle bag and let him take over number crunching. Queen Bee has a 96% probability of being Chloe Bourgeois again."

Max looked at his friend, "Those are some pretty good odds."

"I concur, if I had a vote, I would say it's her," Markoff said.

Max nodded, "I think it's Chloe."

Everyone agreed.

Queen Bee shook her head, "I'm not Chloe."

Max's jaw dropped, "But? Never mind, you have a choice you can tell us if you want or you can keep your secret."

Queen Bee nodded, "Can I choose at the end? After seeing how many people get revealed before I leave at least?"

Max nodded, everyone else seemed to think that was fair, "Sure."

Rena looked at Ryuko, "Okay Ryuko's turn Markoff."

"No data about Ryuko, you're more than welcome to give me a name and I can run it."

Multi Mouse spoke up, "Ooh! How about Chloe!?"

Markoff spoke up quickly, "72% probability."

"What about Marinette Dupain-Cheng?" Oratrice asked.

"4% Probability."

Ryuko frowned and pulled out her phone, "Guys, I really don't have much time."

Rena nodded, "Okay, I vote Chloe."

Everyone agreed.

Ryuko frowned and shook her head, "Seriously? I'm Asian. I'm Mireille Caquet, and I have to go, news at 5!" and she detransformed.

Queen Bee smiled, "No Way! I'm Aurore Beauréal," she said with a laugh, "That's why I have to go too! We'd better get going at least the station is close."

The girls laughed and waved to everyone and left so they could get to work. Mireille for the weather and Aurore for her segment on emotion management and akuma avoidance for teens.

Rena looked at Carapace, "So we probably have all of Kitty Section, and both teen tv stars. Too bad Adrien _isn't_ Chat, we'd be teen heartthrobs _and_ heroes." She looked over at Viperion, "They didn't guess you were Julika's brother?"

"Some did, some didn't," he answered cryptically.

She looked at the rest of the team, "Seriously? Who couldn't tell that's Luka?" She pointed to a picture of him on the wall then back to Viperion. "Seriously?"

Julika snickered.

Rena looked at everyone, "Who guessed someone else?"

Bunnyx spoke up, "It was probably Kim."

Kim frowned, "You weren't even there."

She smiled, "It _was_ you wasn't it."

One side of his mouth lifted, "Maybe."

Rena frowned, "Who did you guess?"

"Adrien."

Rena walked over to Viperion, "Does this look like Adrien?"

Kim frowned, "Well, n-"

"Exactly, now change your answer so the rest of us can vote."

Kim sighed, "Luka."

Everyone else dutifully guessed Luka whether they thought it was Luka or not.

Viperion while mildly irritated couldn't help but find the situation humorous waited to be told he had to reveal himself.

Rena looked at him, "Well?"

Viperion looked at her, "Um, how would you all feel if I told you I wasn't Luka?"

Rena looked uncomfortable.

Viperion walked around the counter and picked up one of the cookies that had been cooling earlier and took a bite. He watched Ora give him a dirty look, she'd told him those cookies were for Alix, he gave her a cocky smile, "Yeah, I'm Luka," he said de-transformed then opened the fridge and pulled out a hardboiled egg and gave it to Sass and opened a cupboard and brought a box of cookies over to the kwamies sitting on the drum kit.

Ivan picked the cookie box up, "hey, no, no way, crumbs man, not okay," he said placing the box on a table and the kwamis descended on the box. 

Luka walked over to pick up his guitar and looked at Fidelite, "And I'm the guitarist, Julika's the Bassist."

Fidelite turned as pink as Ora's outfit.

Rena had no idea what they were talking about, "Okay, who's next," her eyes landed on Oilarra's redhead, "Oilarra, you're up."

Markoff spoke up, "99% probability Nathaniel Kurtzberg." 

Rena nodded, "Makes sense," she looked over at Yang, "and I'll just bet you're Marc."

Carapace nodded and everyone else followed suit. 

Yang looked at Rena, "So, does that mean I have to reveal myself too?"

Rena nodded, "are you Marc?"

He nodded.

The two boys de transformed and smiled at everyone then sat down together.

Rena looked at the girl in pink, "Ora? I'm almost certain you're Rose. Honestly Ladybug should never have given the pig to a girl who wears pink... everything everyday."

Everyone agreed, and Oratrice de-transformed revealing herself as Rose.

Kim spoke up, "I'd say long time no see but, you know, I see you every week," he said referring to the fact she didn't go to school with them anymore. Rose, Sabrina and a few other classmates went to different schools for Lycee even though College Françoise Dupont was part of a Lycee. Rose had applied and been accepted to a musical conservatory and Sabrina was going to her father's alma mater on of the prestigious military academies. 

Rose spoke up before Rena could say anything, "Okay, Rena's turn or should we all say Alya? Markoff?"

Markoff ran the information, "Alya Cesare has a 62% probability of being Rena Rouge, Caline Bustier has a 55% probability and Julia Dorff has a 22% probability."

Rose looked confused, "Who's that?"

Kim spoke up, "She's a girl in our European History class."

Multi Mouse spoke up, "Mme. Bustier? From College?"

Rena smiled wickedly, "Em guessed Mme. Bustier, next?"

Multi Mouse frowned, "I did not! Alya!"

Everyone agreed and after a bout of bickering Alya revealed herself then turned to carapace and pointed, "You."

Markoff never even had an opportunity to calculate everyone was so used to Alya and Nino's dynamic it was undeniable that Carapace was Nino and they quickly stated their guesses.

Alya looked at Multi Mouse, "Em?"

"92% probability Mylene Haprele."

Rena nodded, "I'll take those odds."

Everyone agreed and Mylene waved after de-transforming from Multi Mouse then walked over to Julika and Rose where she said, "Your turn Fidelite."

Fidelite looked nervous. 

Markoff took a moment then replied, "No data for Fidelite."

Rena looked her up and down but Max spoke, "Run Sabrina Raincomprix," Markoff need not have bothered as Fidelite's body language proved he was right.

Bunnyx laughed for the first time that day, "Sabrina!"

Quickly everyone else agreed and Fidelite shrugged and de-transformed. "Why are we doing this again?"

Max spoke up, "So we can learn what we're doing that's making it so obvious to each other and fix it."

Rena nodded, at least it wasn't just a game. "Alright, Bunnyx, you're up, aren't you glad you joined us today?"

Bunnyx looked at Alya through narrowed eyes, "Not really."

Hidden in the trees above the room's glass ceiling a couple sat in the branches watched. Well the woman watched, the man was annoying the woman. Maybe annoying was too strong of a word. He had pulled her hair to the right and she felt his teeth rake across the back of her neck then his lips as he kissed her. "They're cute aren't they?" She said watching one of the most defining moments of her life.

He peered at the teens under her hair seeing himself, remembering he just wanted to go to his room, "I don't think I appreciate knowing that I was being watched."

She shrugged, "you'll be fine. It's only you."

He grinned, "Yeah, and I know what I was thinking about you once I realized who you were."

"Oh?" Alix teased.

He smiled.

" _Oh?!_ That early? What a pervert. _"_

Luka looked offended, "Come on I was 18 cut me some slack! You were gorgeous."

Alix pretended to be offended, "Were?"

Luka would have laughed if they didn't have to be quiet, "Are stunning."

"Better."

¤¤¤

Markoff, "Bunnyx 68% probability Cailyn Bustier 96% probability Alix Kubdel."

Luka looked at the girl in blue and white, so that was why she seemed so off today. Was she Julika's friend whose father was making her give up everything to become a society darling?

Julika, Rose, Mylene and Alya all seemed to think so since they all voted that she was Alix then he realized they all had been late. And they'd all been here when he left, when it was his turn to vote he voted Alix as well he wasn't sure why but for some reason when she de transformed it was like seeing her for the first time. He'd seen her dozens of times over the years but today he realized he was about to lose someone real. If she became what her father wanted she would slowly change from the outside in.

¤¤¤

Above them Alix grabbed Luka's wrist, this was why they were here, to make sure it happened, an anomaly happened in the timeline and she needed to make sure they were going to be together, sure it was fun to watch but in reality they were watching because they were scared. What if 18 year old Luka didn-.

¤¤¤

Almost without thinking Luka strode forward and did something he never had done before he wrapped his long fingers around Alix's wrist, "Can I talk to you? Marinette told me about your dad."

¤¤¤

Above them Alix leaned her head back on Luka's shoulder, "Thank God!"

"I told you we had nothing to worry about. Now let's go home before someone sees us and calls the police. We would never convince people we're Viperion and Bunnyx at our age"

They quietly climbed down and left both the area and the time. They'd check on them, another time, both literally and figuratively.

¤¤¤

Alix looked down at her wrist following the black fingernails up long fingers to long hands to long arms and broad shoulders and a long neck was everything about this boy long even his hair was long? Whoa, she hadn't noticed Julika's brother's face getting so angular. He smiled gently at her and she remembered Marinette telling her privately that Luka was the gentlest person she had ever met and it was no surprise that he and Julika were siblings. Alix nodded and followed him. He never let go of her wrist but lead her around and she knew where he was taking her but by the time they got there she had no idea why but she knew she was blushing by the heat she felt on her face. 

When Luka got to his room he sat on his bed and scooted over to make room for Alix on his clean and neat bed. She sat down on the opposite side of the bed. "Um, I know you're Julika's friend but if you're having problems at home Maman would let you stay here."

Alix smiled, "It's not like that."

Luka frowned, "It kind of sounded like it."

Alix frowned, "How much do you know?"

"Marinette said, your father said you have to debut at Le Ball this year and afterwards you aren't allowed to be yourself."

"Well, that's not 100% true. I have to be the modified version."

Luka tilted his head, "That's what I said."

She smiled shyly, "you're pretty perceptive."

"Thank you."

"Well, here's what makes it difficult, do you know how exclusive it is to be a debutant at Le Ball?"

He nodded, "It's a pretty big deal."

"Yeah, well, in the history of the ball they've had no Africans."

Luka looked confused. 

Alix nodded, "It's okay I know, I don't 'look African'," she smiled, "You've heard of Berbers right?"

Luka nodded, in school he learned about the indiginous brown peoples of northern Africa who lived there even before the Arab people came.

"Well, we prefer not to use that name, I'm Amazigh. I don't want to do this, but at the same time I feel like I'm letting down an entire people."

Luka looked confused, "Are you some kind of princess?"

She shook her head. "When you're a minority every opportunity is like a social responsibility. Every minority is an ambassador of their people, whether they realize it or not. Everything we do represents not just ourselves but our people simply because our group is small enough when people interact with us, we're the only person of our culture they may ever meet."

He nodded, he understood responsibility. Suddenly there was nothing to say but he didn't want her to leave. The quiet was comfortable, until it wasn't. Then it became an uncomfortable pause. Something he had heard of but never experienced, he'd always been happy in the quiet. "So, um do-"

"I should get going," she said simultaneously getting up and walking to the door.

Luka reached for her wrist and pulled her back as he stood up, she didn't resist instead she walked back toward him with a questioning look on her face. He slid his fingers down her wrist and palm the whole way leaving tingles from the calluses built up from years of playing. When his fingers reached their destination he threaded them easily through hers but she was the one who locked their hands together. He smiled down at her, as he realized, she was so tiny he reached up with his right hand and threaded his fingers in the hair near the nape of her neck and rubbed her jaw with his thumb and leaned down whispering, "I hope you know I'm going to kiss you now."

She whispered, "Yeah," on a sigh and his lips descended on hers. Only for a moment, then he pulled her lower lip into his mouth to give it special attention. She gripped his hand and wrapped her free arm around his waist. She pulled at his lips with her teeth and the sweet fight was on, the kiss lasted far longer than the simple peck Luka had originally intended and when they pulled apart he noticed they were both breathing heavily and she was on her toes. She rocked back and smiled but didn't look at his face, she seemed suddenly fascinated by his collection of picks.

He smiled, "I'm, I, I don't, I realized today, I like you."

Alix looked back to his face.

"I mean, I realized, I don't want to lose the opportunity to, that is to say, I," He nearly rolled his eyes, he'd never had difficulty communicating. Well that wasn't necessarily true but this was ridiculous. "I don't want you to change. I like you the way you are," the words rushed passed his lips as he looked at her shoulder length shaggy red and black hair. He realized she'd been slowly getting it evened up over the past year and wondered how long she knew she'd have to do this.

Alix smiled up to him. She remembered when she was a little kid, probably 11, Luka had been her first crush, at 12 he'd been so cool and after coming back from Egypt with her father and brother he was the first boy she'd seen in a year. Everyone she'd seen had been a university student or older. She'd been so excited to get to attend the exclusive collège Françoise Dupont, especially when she met the cute dark haired boy, then her father walked out of the building with a frustrated look on his face and told her she wasn't accepted due to her year away. She'd been held back a year and sent to _ecole elementaire_ which had broken her heart. They said her homeschooling didn't count because her father didn't report her progress properly over the past year. However it was in _elementaire_ where she had met Julika and through her she eventually met Luka again. Eventually, she'd let go of her bitterness and it was where she'd made all her friends. "I- um- I should go, my grandmother is expecting me."

Luka nodded as she walked to the door, "Wait! Can I see you? Like as more than everyone's friend?"

Alix looked over at him a smile over taking her face, "I'd like that. But I really have to go," she frowned thinking of the trouble she was going to get into, "Can you get my number from Julika?"

He nodded dumbfounded, her lashes were so long, was she always this pretty? He'd really never noticed her, she'd always been in the background at practices if she came at all, "Yeah, I'll do that, I mean, I'll text you tonight or call?"

She was already gone.

Luka looked at the empty doorway and smiled then ran the three steps to his vanity and pulled out his sheet paper.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alix and her grandmother are preparing for the ball. An introduction to Alix's family and their history and her tattoos. At the end all of Luka's family history questions will be answered. Basically a lot of shopping and getting a tattoo. I love fashion and anthropology, this chapter (and story) is shamelessly about my favorite things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Amazigh-singular person  
> Imazighen-plural people  
> Lunja - Fairytale Princess in an Amazigh Dialect  
> Siyala - Amazigh woman's first facial tattoo  
> Jedwel - talisman/ term used for Amazigh women's tattoos  
> tanmmirt nak - Thank you  
> Perfetto - Perfect (Italian)

2017

Alix jumped the curb on and hurried up the steps in her roller blades but the door opened revealing her grandmother with a look of disapproval on her face. She hated that look. She loved ljadda nasse, so seeing any form of disappointment hurt but why couldn't Ijadda understand, _this_ was who she was, not the young woman her mother had been, "Azul aflak, Ijadda nasse."

"Alix," her grandmother said standing regally in the doorway. She stood with her arms at her sides the picture of beauty, not quite 60 she could easily pass for a woman in her early 40s. Her hair was black with red tones in it and the arms that she kept at her sides rather than crossing them in her irritation were proudly adorned in tattoos she had begun getting when she was only 10. Alix remembered when she was little Ijadda had little ones on her face but makeup now covered those. "Alix?"

"Ijadda?" She replied pretending she had no idea she was late.

Sekkura Zauche frowned but stepped back, "Alix please come in and get ready, we have many items to check off our list today. Had I known I couldn't trust you to come home in a timely manner we would have done it earlier in the day or I wouldn't have let you go out to play."

Alix frowned, "I wasn't playing! I had a meeting."

Sekkura shut the door behind her granddaughter, "tsch, _that_ is how you dress for a meeting? Endora! Add business attire for Alix to the shopping list!"

The home assistant in the corner of the sitting room lit up, "Sure, I added business attire for Alix, to...Shopping List."

Alix groaned

Sekkura looked down at her feet, "Endora! Add hosiery and business shoes."

"Hosiery and business shoes have been added to… shopping list, would you like to add anything else?"

"Cheeky," Sekkura said then louder for the home assistant she replied, "That is all!" She reached up to Alix's pink locks, "I'm sorry _Lunja,_ but today, this is going to go."

Alix felt her nose begin to itch, "No, please, Ijadda," she said seeing her grandmother frown sadly knowing she wasn't enjoying forcing her to change.

Sekkura pulled her close and brought her head to her shoulder, "It won't be so different," she felt terrible and even worse when she felt the shudder go through her granddaughter's tiny frame. She pulled away and put her hands on Alix's shoulders, and blew out a shuddering breath herself and whispered, "How about after we finish dress shopping we start on your siyala?"

Alix looked at her grandmother as if it were a trick, "Really?"

Sekkura nodded.

Alix looked down, "Can I do my arms first?"

Sekkura laughed softly, "Thank god! If you want to get your siyala I will support your decision but I think you should start with a jedwel first too. It would be different if we lived in Morocco or Libya but here," she shook her head.

Alix smiled in relief, she hadn't wanted to hurt her grandmother by not getting the face tattoos but she wasn't ready for that and she wasn't sure she ever would be. Not to mention she wasn't sure if they would disappear when she became Bunnyx or not and that could be dangerous. "Tanmmirt nak, Ijadda!"

"Alright Alix, be thankful after we go shopping and you're hair has been colored back to black."

"Um, Ijadda, if they say it will look nice I can I at least have Pere and Jalil's red hair?"

Sekkura looked at Alix's dark eyebrows, and frowned, "Only _if_ they say it will look _natural_ , not if it will look 'good'," she said.

¤¤¤

Two hours later Alix sat across from a different girl in the mirror. This girl had red hair, actually it was a kindness to call it red, it was so dark it may as well have been called brown and it wasn't the beautiful black that her grandmother had Alix irritably thought. She wondered if Julika could fix it. She sighed, she couldn't do that to everyone, the ball was coming quickly. Ijadda and Pere had been planning this for months before telling her. While she was angry part of her couldn't really blame them, if they had told her months ago she would have figured out a way out of this mess.

Sekkura walked up behind Alix and ran her fingers through her granddaughter's feathery locks. At the cosmetologist's suggestion extensions had been added making her hair cascade half way down her back. Sekkura promised the morning after the ball they would remove them but she did look pretty. Not to mention older, Alix always had problems with people thinking she was younger than she was. Now if she could only make her happy, "Alix I would say let's skip the shopping trip and go get started on the jedwel because you look sad but we have put it off long enough." She turned to the man who had performed his artistry on Alix and took his hand and put a 20 euro note in it, "Elle est parfaite" (she is perfect). 

Alix sighed and got up after the cape was removed and followed her grandmother as she paid for her ridiculous 300 euro hair.

"Let's go Alix, we have a meeting with Bobby Kavale, he made your dress, your final fitting is today." Sekkura pulled out her phone and swiped, "we need to discuss who will be your cavalier, we can do that while we pick up your jewelry I think you'll be very excited. You said you wanted it to match your mother's serpent jewelry correct?"

Alix's mind was having a difficult time catching up but she nodded, she wanted to wear the jewelry her father had bought her mother but it had to be made by the official sponsor.

Sekkura smiled secretly, "I think you'll love your dress," she said climbing up some stepps and knocking on a heavy wooden door.

A tired looking woman with purple hair in all black opened the door, "Can I help you?"

Sekkura nodded, "Alix Kubdel 1600 appointment."

The purple haired woman nodded, "Come in, Mr. Kavale is almost finished, I'll let him know you're here. Would you like some coffee while you wait? It's not good but it's caffeine? The croissants aren't very good either but we have some macarons from Tom & Sabine's. If you've never had their pastries you have not lived."

"I'm friends with their daughter."

Purple hair smiled at her, "then no macarons for you, you can probably get some anytime!" She joked.

Two men walked out of a door in the back, one incredibly tall, fit and silvery blond and the other short, rather round, old with long grey hair and seething. While the door in the back had silenced their conversation they apparently had been fighting and Bobby had no yelling his loud rapid fire Italian in his studio. The taller man pinched the bridge of his nose and replied softly but just as quickly as if he were speaking to a petulant child. Bobby gasped and took a step back, " _Get out!_ "

As if waiting for this the door opened and Nathalie stood waiting for Gabriel.

Gabriel turned back to Bobby, "You will regret it! Stand up, are you Italian or French?"

Bobby looked at the Frenchman with confusion, "Gabriel go away, I'm an old man, but I'll think about it longer before I sign." When the man left Bobby turned to the young girl in front of him and smiled, "Bella!" (Lovely) "You must be Alix, so we have so much to do and so little time let's begin." He turned to Purple Hair, "Payal, please help Alix with her gown."

Alix followed Payal through a door she hadn't seen before into a room filled with dresses. Payal told her to stay in one place while she walked down an aisle and found what she was looking for. "Oh," Payal said looking at the dress then putting it behind her and looking at her tablet, "Oooh! It's _this_ one," she said with a smile, "I've been really excited to see this one!"

Alix was curious, she was not a dress girl. She didn't hate them she just wasn't a fan of all the rules, or the tripping. Yeah, the tripping was the worst. She craned her neck to see the dress but purp-Payal, wouldn't have it.

"Uh-uh! The instructions say that you aren't to see the embellishment until the dress is on."

"Uh, how is that even possible?"

"I like you kid. Uh, that's why I'm here. Come on," she said leading Alix through another set of doors.

As far as Alix could tell it was a plain black dress. Good job Ijadda she thought as the woman handed her a bag and walked back out. From outside the door Alix could hear her telling her to strip and put the underclothes on. She pulled the new underwear out and held them up and smiled, they looked normal she pulled them on and looked in the bag, "Uh, there's no bra in here."

The door swung open and Payal walked in holding the dress high Alix threw her arms across her breasts, "that's because it's in here. Now turn around arms up there is a lot of fabric in the skirt and there are chains across the back so expect it to be cold."

Alix turned away and put her arms up the fabric fell over her like a waterfall then she felt ice on her back and flinched.

"It's okay, I promise you'll love it. Hold still there's a weight I have to hold and I need to zip you up… okay, there," peering at Alix from over her shoulder Payal looked the girl over, "Your breasts are bigger than we expected so we'll change that for comfort, after you see the back i'll fix the chain lengths so everything lays flat. Shall we?" Alix walked out holding the dress up. The journey back to the studio seemed longer somehow but when she got to her grandmother 

Ijadda's reaction was surprising, she grabbed M. Kavale's shoulder and whispered in his ear. The older man laughed nodding and wrapped his arm around her tiny shoulders bringing her toward Alix.

"Bella, it seems this dress was made for you!" his voice boomed through the studio, then he laughed because of course it had been.

Payal looked down at Alix, "alright it's going to be cold, ready?"

Alix looked at her funny then it hit her there was a huge piece of metal on her back with chains and Payal was right it was cold, she couldn't help it she shivered.

Payal frowned in sympathy, "Sorry."

Alix nodded, "It's okay. Alix twisted to see what was on her back but couldn't see anything but she did hear her grandmother laugh.

Sekkura laughed with delight, it looked amazing, how he had made it so well without having Alix she'd never know but he had.

Bobby walked up to Alix and took her hand presenting her to Sekkura while speaking to her, "Your grandmother tells me today you will be getting a traditional tribal tattoo?"

Alix nodded walking in the circle Bobby led her around in. 

"You'll have to tell me what it will look like," he said nodding to Payal.

While he spoke Payal rolled over a folding 3 part mirror and opened it.

Alix turned to her grandmother, "I wanted a snake, like yours and Mama's."

Her grandmother nodded, "I thought you would."

Bobby laughed, "Perfetto! Thank you Payal," Bobby said sweeping Alix's newly long hair in front of her shoulder.

Alix looked in the mirror, it was a plain black dress, but her hair _did_ look red now against the plain black. Bobby gently turned her so she could see the back of the dress. Alix gasped seeing what she thought was a metal bar down the middle of her back was a huge gold snake suspended by golden chains, "I… love it."

[ http://oxot.com/snake-back-strap-dress/ ](http://oxot.com/snake-back-strap-dress/)

Bobby walked up and pulled at the dress, "I just need to fit this to you and you'll be able to leave. Payal, call the runner from Tubulon to bring her shoes please."

Payal nodded, "Yes, sir," she said and walked away.

Bobby walked away after speaking with her grandmother. While he was gone Alix turned to Sekkura, "Thank you."

"I know this isn't something you would choose to do for yourself. I tried to choose something you would choose to wear at least."

Alix nodded, "I love it."

Sekkura smiled, "We were going to discuss your cavalier but M. Kavale is right while you're wearing the dress we should discuss the _jedwel_."

Alix pointed to her right wrist, "Snake, traditional with the spine."

Sekkura nodded, "Alright I'll be right back."

Bobby walked forward setting down a stool, it was rare for him to actually fit a dress anymore he had employees for that especially with his knees being irritated from the 40+ years of fittings he'd already put in but for special customers he would still get down and pin. "So tell me about this tattoo," he said around two pins beginning at her shoulders.

Alix smiled and explained the snake represented the wearer was a holy or magical person.

Bobby laughed, "Oh?! And are you magical."

More than you can imagine, Alix thought but said, "Aren't we all a little magical? Look at this dress you created."

Bobby nodded no longer laughing, "I see, yes Bella, you're right we are all a little bit magical."

"I'm also getting it because my mother had it and she loved snakes," Alix said.

Bobby hummed his reply so she knew he was listening since his mouth was busy with needles at her back, once available he spoke, "I assume she's no longer with us?"

Alix shook her head, "It's been 6 years but sometimes it feels like yesterday and other times it feels like it's always been this way."

Bobby patted her shoulder, "I understand."

They discussed school and her friends and suddenly Payal appeared with boxes. "M. Kavale, the Tubulon runner dropped these off."

Bobby waved her over and opened the box holding the shoe up the designer, assistant and Sekkura all nodded with approval and delight but Alix just looked at the heel with dismay.

Sekkura gave eyed her questioningly, "Alix? Do you not like them?"

Alix looked at the heels, instead of the traditional red sole this shoe had a green one and like the dress it seemed to be a simple black open toe stiletto heel but at the top of the shoe where it would sit wrapped around the ankle was a gold serpent with its head passing it's tail near the ankle bone. "They're beautiful, I'm just afraid they'll hurt, and I can barely dance as it is."

Bobby held out the box he held in his hand, "Let's try these shall we, then we can decide how they feel."

Alix reached into the box and pulled out the shoes one by one.

[ https://di2ponv0v5otw.cloudfront.net/posts/2019/08/20/5d5bbca63b99856f1071a817/m_5d5bbca84160e7b04d1a4fa4.jpeg ](https://di2ponv0v5otw.cloudfront.net/posts/2019/08/20/5d5bbca63b99856f1071a817/m_5d5bbca84160e7b04d1a4fa4.jpeg)

Bobby held her steady as she slipped her feet into the first pair. Payal checked the fit then pulled the second pair, they were all surprised to find they were different. Nearly the same except they were a traditional black satin plain pump with the serpent perched at the top waiting to encircle Alix's ankle.

"Oooh! I like these," Payal said.

Alix shrugged, "I think open toe tend to be more comfortable for me," she said, stepping out of the first pair as Payal helped her into the new pair.

Bobby nodded, "I was not sure but I believe I will add a slit here," he said pointing to Alix's left thigh, he looked at her face, "If I pull the fabric back to always expose your leg will that bother you?" 

"A lot?"

Originally his intention _was_ enough to always show the shoes but her response told him only enough that the dress would always give a peek, "Not if you want it small. If you would like I will make it only wide enough to show off those shoes and keep you from tripping," he knew better than to complement this girls legs. Some young women would appreciate it some would not and this one would not.

Alix nodded, "Yeah, okay."

Bobby clapped, "Perfetto!" he said and fluffed the gown around her. "Hold still," he said then walked away when he returned he had a huge pair of silver shears in his hands. He bent down and it was a little horrifying to watch but he just cut straight up the dress, on the front left until one inch above her knee. 

¤¤¤

Ninety minutes later Alix and her grandmother were walking out of the studio toward Pulgari jewelers. It was pure luck that they had won the bid to be the official jeweler of le Bal allowing Alix to wear her mother's precious earrings but now they needed to meet with a jeweler to show find the rest of what she would wear. When they walked in, they were shown to a side room, a few moments later a woman came in with a folder and a leather box.

"Mme. Zauche, Mlle. Kubdel, I'm Sofie Martelle, I'm your personal jeweler for Le Bal. From what I understand you will be wearing your deceased mother's vintage earrings?"

Alix nodded, "Yes."

Sofie nodded, "Do you have them?"

Sekkura opened her bag and pulled out a box that said "Pvlgari Roma" and handed it to the woman. Mme. Martelle opened a drawer and pulled out a velvet pad, she opened Alix's mother's earrings and placed them on the pad jewel side down then using her jeweler's loop she peered at the back of the earrings, she turned them over and made a noise then pulled them off. "They are authentic however the left one needs a repair, that can be done bef-"

Alix interrupted her, "You thought we were lying?!"

Sekkura turned to her, "Alix, this is her job please."

Mme. Martelle looked at her with a patient smile, "Many of the debutant's would like to wear their own jewelry. I'm sorry to be so cold but the two most popular reasons are deceased parents and crown jewels. At this Bal alone of the 20 attendants 14 will be crowned royalty and only 3 will be allowed to wear their crown jewels." When she noticed Alix was more attentive than combative she smiled and continued, "Julia and Axel Princess and Prince of Frenksberg's family commissioned Pulgari to make a tiara for her great-great-grandmother HRH Queen Gertrude's wedding in1902. For her son Karl's coronation Pulgari was commissioned to make his buttons, cufflinks, rings and various accutroments to match the crown and livery collar that were already in existence. The princess from India, Aisha Khan's family has purchased almost exclusively from Pulgari over the years allowing her quite a bit of freedom to choose from her jewels. However everything they were wearing had to be inspected as well."

Alix nodded, "I apologize."

Sofie nodded, "Thank you," she said while turning her tablet to Alix and her grandmother with a collage of pictures of Alix in the dress that Payal had been taking while Bobby was pinning. There were also picture of the dress by itself and the shoes. "This is your outfit, and these are your earrings, I am not part of your hair and makeup but I am assuming you will be wearing your hair forward or up correct?"

Alix turned to Ijadda, "uh?"

Sekkura nodded, "We hadn't discussed it but I thought down in front would be nice, up might be too old fashioned."

Sofie nodded, "I agree but once again, that is not my area of expertise, however I did take some liberty in the past half hour to pull together some ideas to discuss with you." She stood and opened the large box she came in with, with a key that she wore around her neck. The box pulled apart in every direction and there were emeralds, diamonds and gold everywhere.

Alix who like every Kubdel for the past 3 generations loved archeology gasped thinking of the historical significance of some of the pieces she was looking at.

Sofie pulled out a large gold cuff that looked like a pile of vipers but upon closer inspection was only one snake that had coiled over itself many times creating the large gold arm cuff. "I understand your desire to wear your mother's jewelry, so I have brought the matching items for it but if there were no emotional reason I would normally not style that dress with those earrings."

Alix nodded, "I understand, thank you."

Sofie motioned for Alix to stand then she pulled her hair over her right shoulder and put the cuff on her left arm. Suddenly it dawned on Alix why Ijadda had made her wear a black tank top. "That looks very nice, I was worried it would be too much with your slight frame but it looks l just right. I wish I had that dress here, with that huge back piece, it would be easy to have too much." She sighed and handed Alix her mother's earrings.

Alix put them in and looked in the mirror the hair was growing on her, not the length but the color was okay, maybe a little redder. Maybe she wouldn't go back to pink. 

Sophie came back over, "This is one of the rings from the set your mother's earrings belong to, try wearing it on your middle finger," Alix did. "Now, when I first received your picture you didn't have all that hair but, I had an idea," she said, holding up two S shaped dangling earrings for a moment then she began disassembling the hook from the S. "If you could braid your hair over your shoulder while I finish this," she said as she applied something to the back of the S's. When she was finished she turned to see Alix's simple tight braid, "Okay, this is just Vel-cro for test, if it looks good I'll attach actual clips," she said as she stuck the S's to the braid then looked at Sekkura. "What do you think?"

Sekkura nodded, "With a different braid I think I'll be perfect."

Sophie pulled a mirror out of the desk and held it up for Alix who nodded. "I like it too."

The jeweler nodded with a smile and walked over to her case pulling out a handful of bangles and what looked like a long snake but where the head would have been was a watch, she put them all down then pulled out a shorter version of the long snake watch that was only a snake bangle with the head intact, "I'm a little worried about the amount of serpents you have, for that reason the bangles are the better choice however the Serpenti watch is an iconic piece," she said flipping the bangal snake's mouth open revealing it too was a watch, "I wa-"

"That one!" Alix said before she could say anymore.

The jeweler laughed, "This would be only a loan, not for purchase, it's from our archive. The longer one may be purchased."

Alix turned to her grandmother, "Is that alright?"

Sekkura nodded, "It's your night, and your choice."

Alix turned back to Sophie with a huge smile, "The snake."

Sophy laughed at the girls excitement, "The snake it is. Do you just like them or is there a special reason you and your mother like them?"

Alix explained her family's traditions as she had to the designer.

"A tattoo?" Sophie said with shock, "Where will it be?"

Alix frowned and pointed to her right wrist.

Sophie shook her head, "Were you wanting to hide it?"

Alix frowned, "No!"

Sophie gestured to the watch, "That will cover it, hmm," she picked up her tablet, "alright, the cuff will go on your left hand, wear your braid on your left shoulder, the serpenti clips I'm making will go into the braid. You'll wear your ring on your right hand, that should fix it. No watch I'm afraid," she smiled an apology at Alix, then turned to Sekkura, "Make sure to tell the committee about the tattoo."

Sekkura nodded, "They already know and have approved."

Sophie nodded, "What will it look like?"

Alix shrugged, "A wavy feather," she said as her grandmother pulled up the image she would use for the tattoo artist.

Sophie smiled with excitement and pulled out some simple gold bangles, upon close inspection they were all wavy the same as the Jedwel snake, "I'll pack these in your box, the day of, we can decide if it looks nice with it or if it detracts from it."

Sekkura nodded, "they're very nice, thank you."

They concluded their trip and left.

Alix turned to Sekkura, "Are we done?"

Sekkura nodded smiling, "You still need to pick your cavalier," Ijadda said pulling her phone out as they walked to the train station.

Alix turned to her grandmother, "Can it be anyone?"

Ijadda shook her head, "He has to be debuting himself," she and alix boarded the train and she sat showing her an app, "These are the gentlemen who will be debuting with you, the names in bold are the ones who are left. The highlighted ones are recommended for you."

Alix took the phone and looked down. Huh! Adrien never said anything, he was recommended because of proximity, and the prince Sophie had spoken of Axel of Frankenberg was the other recommendation in the notes it said because of height. She clicked on his stats, 1.62m (5'4), she frowned, if she picked Adrien, Axel would probably get chosen last simply for being short. That sucked. But she hated getting to know new people too. "Ijadda?"

"Hmm?"

"There's only two recommendations for me."

"Then it shoul-

"Pigalle Station!" The intercom interrupted them.

Sekkura stood, "Come on."

Alix's chin dropped, "Pigalle? As in the Red Light District? Ijadda you are so rad."

Sekkura secretly smiled but led Alix toward the Tattoo Shop she'd read about, and had been communicating with for the past couple weeks. She saw the red print above the black awning and the bright yellow doors, "Ah! There!" She said walking briskly toward the building.

Alix read the sign, "Tin-Tin Tatouages! Really! They're famous Ijadda!"

"Oui, and even more so in an hour," she said opening the door to a tidy shop with red and tiled walls, "Bonjour!"

"Bonjour, may I help you?" a handsome young man asked at the front desk.

"I am Sekkura we spoke on the phone, I have an appointment for Alix Kubdel at 1800."

The man looked at his computer, "Please have a seat, I'll go get him."

"Thank you," Sekkura sat down. "You were telling me about your choices."

Alix nodded, "That prince the jeweler was talking about and my friend Adrien."

Sekkura laughed, "How fortunate for you! Did you send in the information that you would like Adrien to be your cavalier?"

Alix shook her head, "That's the thing, I know why no one is picking Prince Axel."

Sekkura looked confused and gestured for her to continue.

"He's really short. I'll probably be the only debutant who's not taller than him."

"Oh, I'm sure that's not true."

"It is, I checked all of our data, I'm the shortest. Again. Thanks Ijadda, I know this is your fault."

Sekkura shrugged, never having toppled 1.50m (roughly 5') she accepted the blame. "You know what I say, 'The Lord only lets you grow as long as you need to' we stopped early because we're perfect _Lunja_."

Before Alix could reply a man who epitomized the look of the american biker walked up to them and reached his hand out, "Alix?"

The women stood up and Alix shook his hand, "I am Alix."

"Tin Tin. Follow me," he said leading them to a room. "So, you're getting a traditional tribal tattoo?"

Alix nodded

He looked her over, she didn't look like she was North African. "You understand these tattoos have special meaning to the tribes that create them?"

Alix looked confused, "Yes?"

Tin-Tin looked at the girl then to her grandmother who looked like she stepped out of a Fume advertisement. "So, what can you tell me about what you'd like to have done?"

Alix pointed to her right wrist, "I know I should start on my face but I, I can't. So it's going to go here, a snake with spine. All the women in my family get one or they have for the past few generations.

Tin-Tin looked at the older woman, she smiled and tapped her seemingly clear chin, it was amazing what makeup would cover. He smiled, he wasn't a fan of giving people a "tribal experience," he was glad this girl was the real deal. "So why are you getting it now?"

"I was selected to be a debutant at le Bal," she murmured.

Tin-Tin turned to her and laughed, "Well I guarantee you'll have the best tattoo there."

Alix laughed.

"Alright, I'm going to have you sit in that seat and put your hand on that cushion."

Alix did as instructed.

Tin-Tin spoke with Sekkura and she signed then he turned back to Alix he cleaned her arm and hand and returned with a small looking bat or a large drumstick and something that looked like it belonged in a museum, "Traditional right?"

Alix swallowed and nodded.

Tin-Tin nodded, "Do you have a picture?"

"Ijadda? Can you pull it up on your phone please?"

Sekkura pulled up the picture of the symbolic tattoos and set her phone down so the man would be able to see it.

Tin-Tin nodded, "are there any traditions we need to observe before we begin?"

Sekkura shook her head.

He smiled, "Alright," he used the ink to draw the design on her wrist, it would be 5cm long when it was finished, once the body of the snake was drawn he picked up the hammer and chisel and inked the chisel, "You seem like a brave, kick ass kind of girl but if you think it's painful I can always finish it using the modern method, okay?" He said then snapped the chisel into her skin.

Alix was more surprised than pained, "Uh, okay." After five tapps of the hammer the surprise wore off and pain came. Tin-Tin was saying something but she couldn't follow along, Five more tapps and the pain was agony, she knew Tin-Tin and Ijadda were talking to her but she couldn't hear them, she had checked into her fantasy world where everything was fine, unfortunately after 5 more taps at her wrist it felt like fire. Ijadda grasped her left hand and Alix clung to it as if it were a life line.

Tin-Tin stopped, "Alix? Do you need me to switch?"

Alix shook her head, "Getting your face tattooed probably hurts far more, right?"

Tin-Tin shook his head, "Eeeh, I'm tattooing over your wrist bones that's pretty painful, probably worse than your face."

Alix nodded, "as long as it's not just me."

"No, not just you," he said as he kept pushing ink into her skin with the chisel and hammer. "Alright, ready for the lines?"

Alix looked at her wrist a plain line now lived there, well, it looked like a line but it was symbolically a snake, sort of. She looked up at the man and nodded not looking forward to all pain she would have to go through for the little lines but nodded , "Uh, try to make it not look like a centipede," she said familiar with his work.

He laughed, "Okay," he said and began chiseling away at her skin.

She watched as he applied ink to the chisel and hammered twice then moved up, hammered twice and moved up, this was going- _holy hell, that hurt!-_ well it had been going much better, "this seems to be going faster."

"I think with traditional methods, you have to get a rhythm and these legs or vertebrae are good for that, it's only two hits per side. Once I get one side done I'll come around and do the other side. How are we doing?"

"I think it's better when we talk."

"Yeah? So you excited about the debutant thing?"

"No."

Sekkura laughed.

Tin Tin laughed, "Okay. Seeing anyone?"

"Maybe?"

Sekkura looked at her granddaughter with surprise.

"Julika's brother. It just happened, like literally I had to leave him to come home," Alix said looking at Ijadda.

Tin Tin nodded, "Is he going to be your date?"

Alix blew out an irritated date, "No, the rules say I have to take someone who's invited to the bal."

Tin Tin nodded, "Gotta keep the riff raff out," he said with fake seriousness, then laughed to make sure she knew he was joking.

"If only, Luka's the guitarist of Kitty Section."

Tin Tin stopped and looked up at them, "Anarchy and Jagged's kid? That band's pretty cool Bob Roth did them wrong."

Alix nodded, "He did but to be fair if he hadn't done it, they wouldn't have gotten the coverage and probably wouldn't have made it."

Tin Tin kept tattooing, "I don't know, that _Adrien_ model is in their band too isn't he?"

"Adrien? Yeah, he plays the keyboard but he's only in the background, I think their biggest gimmick is Rose, their lead singer, she looks like she's going to sing a lullaby or something then she starts belting out death metal, or she would if Luka would give her the opportunity."

Tin Tin laughed, "Bob Roth was the one who outed Jagged and Anarchy though, I remember we were watching while doing this huge dragon on a girls backside from shoulder to leg, it was awesome. The look on Jagged's face. Man was devastated. "

Alix remembered when that happened, it had been shocking. They'd been at practice and the TVi billboard had been on overhead showing what was playing live. It had been a live interview with Bob and Jagged after Jagged left him. Apparently Bob had investigated him behind his back uncovering Anarka Couffaine had given birth 30 weeks after Crock Duo broke up. Jagged had never known. No one had. Growing up Luka knew,Stephane, Julika's father wasn't his but the man had always treated him like his own. Finding out his idol was his father and didn't even know he existed must have been devastating but she didn't remember viperion acting any different, then again he had second chance. Who knew how many times he'd used it to gain control of his emotions. At the time she didn't even know Luka was Viperion. Later that afternoon she went to Julika's thinking Luka would be upset and she'd been right he, but no one was more upset than Jagged. Ever since he'd been trying to make up for lost time with both Luka and Julika, he'd even spent time with Stefane since Stefane and Anarka's split had been amicable. Over the past two years they seemed to have developed a pretty good relationship, more like a stepfather and son than father and son but it was still pretty cool. Now both Couffaine kids had two fathers and the family seemed to be working out perfectly fine. 

"All done," Tin Tin said wiping away the excess ink.

Alix looked down coming out of her musings to see she hadn't paid attention at all for the last three quarters of the tattoo, "Awesome!"

"It is pretty cool." He looked at her grandmother and her, "Thanks for giving me the chance to work on my traditional technique, I don't get to use it very often. I was trained by Thierry Manao he has a shop on Cote d'Azur."

The women spoke a bit longer and paid. Tin Tin took a couple pictures and they left. 

The atmosphere in the quarter had changed significantly, it had become sexually charged and ready to party.

Sekkura looked at Alix as they made their way to the train station, "I'm very proud of you. You could have let him use his machine, I wouldn't have minded."

Alix shrugged but was secretly proud of the praise, "It wouldn't have been the same, ya know?"

Sekkura nodded, "No, it wouldn't have been. I'm glad I could share it with you."

"Me too Ijadda."

Once they were back on their way home Sekkura cleared her throat as if to change her entire persona back to her business persona, "Have you decided on your cavalier?" Ijadda asked.

Alix sighed, "I really want to go with Adrien, but, I don't want Axel to be last choice because he's short. And I know how uncomfortable it is to dance with someone so tall…"

Sekkura smiled and pulled her phone out and began typing away then she put it away. "Alright, we should get a call within the next 24 hours if he accepts. You should talk to your friend so he knows why you didn't request him, so he isn't hurt."

Alix hadn't even thought of it. When they got home, she went to her room and called Adrien.

"It's Alix."

"Hey."

"I just wanted to let you know I chose Axel to be my cavalier because of his height. I didn't want you to think I was mad at you or something."

There was a pause, "Okay. Do you know who hasn't been chosen?" He replied

"No idea, my grandmother has been doing all this behind my back until yesterday."

"Seriously!?" Adrien asked, "Nathalie has been doing pretty much everything but I've known I'm supposed to go this year for, like, _years_. Father's outfitting like five of the cavaliers this year."

"Fancy."

"Who're you going with again?"

"If he accepts Axel, I guess he's the prince of Frankenberg, or somethin'."

"Oh, yeah! I've heard of him, Frankenberg that's that little country south of Luxembourg right?"

"I think so," Alix said poking at her tablet so she could investigate the guy.

Adrien was clicking in the background, "Wow, 1.62m (5'4), you _will_ be a good match. I wonder who's left. How did you know who was left?"

"It only showed me you and him as optimal matches, you because of proximity and him because of height."

"So you chose him because of aesthetics? I see how little our friendship means to you," he teased.

"Funny. I just knew I didn't belong with you." 

Adrien, knew Alix knew he was Chat Noir even if they didn't talk about it sometimes they would circle around it, "like a feeling or you _knew."_

"It was a feeling, nothing so concrete. No reason to _know_ for a fact who my date is." She looked at Fluff, who'd spent the day at home without her, "Is there?"

Fluff floated upside-down a regular occurance for him and shook his head.

Adrien replied, "I think you made a good choice, it says in this article he's shy, you'll be good for him."

"I need to talk to marinette about making me a holster to carry my watch on my leg."

"Don't you have a purse or a clutch thingy?"

"No one gave me one, so I'm assuming I don't," her phone beeped and she looked down she had a call coming in from a new number. Who cou- "I gotta go!"

"Uh, okay, bye." Adrien said sensing her urgency and hanging up.

Alix answered, "Oui?"

"Alix? This is Luka"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Roberto Cavalli is an Italian designer who unlike BobbyKavale lives in Italy. He's famous for his snake themed dresses clothing and the dress Alix is wearing is his creation.
> 
> TuBulon was the name the Miraculous universe chose to give Christian Louboutin So I chose to honor it and use it. Louboutin is the official footwear of all cavaliers and debutants at Le Bal.
> 
> Tin-Tin Tatouages is a real place and that is its real name I chose to use it https://www.instagram.com/p/Bbj74AYgpjo/?igshid=v07pw34ndpuv because I knew his name was not as recognized as Bvlgari or Louboutain and I wanted his artistry to be recognized. The same is true for Thierry Manao https://www.instagram.com/p/37Q9x_x84v/?igshid=12alc5cgx8tu3 who authentically tattoos in the Polynesian style on the southern coast of France (that's why they didn't go there)
> 
> As always please comment, I always respond. Bookmark to get an email when this story is updated or subscribe so you get an email when any of my stories are uploaded as they are all from the same timeline.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luka and the band begin writing a song, he spends the afternoon with Jagged and Penny and is offered a pretty big gig, then he calls Alix.
> 
> Thank you for sticking with me. Sorry for the 6 month long delay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song featured in this story is “Poet” by the band Bastille. It was written by their lead singer, Dan Smith, and produced by Dan Smith and Mark Crew. I was divided about having Luka “write” their song or write my own, but this story actually came from listening to Poet so I couldn’t come up with anything better. If you have time, check it out, it’s a great song.
> 
> A very special thank you to Kuma Jeanne https://archiveofourown.org/users/KumaJeanne for her language help: Merci beaucoup. 
> 
> Also thank you to Keysi Shepert https://archiveofourowsn.org/users/KeysiShepert for keeping me sane (she does her best) during the crisis that is my life: Danke schöne.

Same day Luka's perspective. 

Guitar hanging from his shoulder and paper in hand, Luka walked back to the main area surprised to find the team still talking and hanging out.

Ivan noticed him first, "Do you have something for us to practice?"

Luka shook his head, "Not yet," he said and sat on the sofa with his guitar putting the paper on the cluttered table in front of him after pushing the junk to the side for space in a patented "Nettoyage Couffaine" as the family jokingly called pushing stuff to the side for table space so he could write. 

Juleka smiled and looked at Rose, Mylene, and Alya, "I think he just had some inspiration." 

Alya smirked nodding, she'd noticed Alix's cheeks had matched her hair as she waved goodbye to everyone on her way out.

"I did," Luka said, unaware he was being teased, he picked up his guitar and strummed a few times before he heard the resonance of a memory. A few months ago Bunnyx had come to him and asked him to come with her as a safeguard as she traveled through time. Just in case she ended up in a wall or something he could second chance her out. He agreed, the idea of going back or forward in time and being killed in such a way was horrifying. He smiled… There it was, his nails brushed one way as his fingers pinched and slid his brain counting and remembering. E A. He closed his eyes and leaned back.

"Woah," Rose said, nearly taking the head of the guitar to her face.

Luka opened his eyes, his face warmed when he realized what he'd almost done, "Sorry."

Rose smiled toothily, "It's okay, loverboy," she said wiggling her eyebrows at him. He was as much a big brother as her own and she had no problem teasing him like one. "Is that just instrumental or are lyrics flowing too?"

Luka smiled excitedly, "Both!"

Alya stood, "That's my signal to go. Come on non-Kittens, it's  _ their _ practice time."

Mylene hugged Juleka and Rose then waved to the guys and walked out starting a procession of unmasked miraculous wielders followed by Juleka who waved them off with a smile then walked back in.

Luka was humming and when they returned he leaned forward to write something down then looked up at Rose squinting, "Rose!"

The girl nodded to him from the doorway, "Yeah?"

"Say that again."

"Bye guys?"

"No, what you said when I almost hit you. Sorry, again, by the way," Luka smiled.

"Woah?" Rose asked.

"Yeah!" Luka nodded hair bouncing around his face, he leaned over the paper and wrote then turned to Ivan. "Say it but try to break it into more syllables."

"Wu-uh-uh-uh-oh?" Ivan asked rather than sang.

Luka frowned, shaking his head he looked at the empty doorway wanting to hear his sister's husky alto. He turned back to Ivan, "More like, 'W-oh-oh-oh', you know?" Luka offered, not really comfortable with singing.

Ivan blushed but repeated it.

Luka nodded then shook his head, "yeah like that but, no." He went back to strumming then leaned forward and wrote something on the side. When he leaned back Rose hurriedly picked up the paper and read out loud.

"'Now you'll live, I can feel your pulse,' Sexy, Luka," she said.

Luka blushed, keeping his eyes closed. There were no people he felt safer with than his band, his mother, and slowly Jagged and Penny had been showing him they were caring too. But these were his feelings laid bare and he wasn't quite sure how other people would take them.

Juleka walked back in, "That was interesting."

Rose nodded referring to the lyrics.

"I mean, I knew some of them but, some were a complete surprise."

Rose handed Juleka the nearly empty sheet music paper.

Juleka read it then looked at her brother critically, "Really?"

Luka opened his eyes, "it's a little deeper than it seems."

"I don't want you hurt," she said protectively.

Luka looked offended, "aren't you,  _ her _ friend?"

"I'm  _ your _ sister," she countered.

"I'll be fine," he frowned. He couldn't tell her about the times Viperion and Bunnyx had explored time together, for safety… Could he? It seemed everything was out in the open now. No, he'd talk to Alix first. 

Ivan, always uncomfortable with band tension and the first to seek to alleviate it spoke up, "Can I see?"

Juleka handed the page to him, and he read it.

"I don't understand, 'now you'll live, I can feel your pulse' did you bring someone back to life? Did you save someone?" Ivan asked.

Luka strummed and shook his head unwilling to talk about being Viperion, "Just tell me your initial reaction without me telling you what it means. What do  _ you _ guys think?"

Juleka thought, "I think she gets to live throughout time," Juleka thought about it but it was Rose who spoke up.

"'Now you'll live,' because she got the Miraculous, 'Now you'll live like a goddess?' I don't understand the pulse part."

Luka blushed a pretty red.

Rose giggled, "Oh felt it have you?"

"It's not like that," Luka said, "I mean I have but it was only in her wrist."

"Oh," Rose said more than a little letdown, ever the romantic. "Well, wrist kind of rhymes with Goddess if we write the song in English." Rose walked over and pulled the paper from Ivan's hand translating the words to English in her mind. "Now you'll live like a goddess, I can feel your pulse in your wrist' ew, no."

Ivan looked at them from behind his kit, "She moves through time differently than Viperion, she's different from all of us, she moves through the millennia, what are some other words for that?

"Ages," Juleka supplied.

Luka's eyes popped open and he snatched the paper from Rose scribbling quickly.

Juleka walked around and looked at the words, "'Now you'll live through the ages, I can feel your pulse in the pages?' what's that mean?"

Luka couldn't tell her that Alix would write paper notes and put them in the strings of his lyre when she wanted to meet up to explore time. But he wanted to make it about the music, the process of writing too. "The song, every song lives."

The rest of the band nodded.

Rose looked at what he wrote and began to belt out the words and Luka frowned but tried to smile. "Um, can you try singing this as a ballad?"

Rose looked offended but tried.

Luka looked to Juleka, she swallowed then with a husky voice sang with the timbre he was looking for. He turned to Ivan.

"Sing woah, again."

Ivan uncomfortably did.

Luka nodded. "Yeah. Just like that."

Rose fidgeted uncomfortably and Luka ran over to a box and pulled out a tambourine and handed it to her. "I promise you  _ will _ sing."

Rose smiled and Luka turned to his sister and Ivan.

"Again!"

"Now you'll live through the ages, I can feel your pulse through the pages," Juleka said.

"Wo-oh-oh-oh," Ivan sang turning red.

Luka ran back to the paper with Rose behind him, he muttered but she spoke aloud slowly as every word was written.

"'I, have written, you down… Now, you will live, forever' wow, Luka, that's good," Rose said on a sigh.

Ivan nodded.

"Is this about a song? It doesn't sound like it, people don't read songs, only musicians  _ read _ pages of music," came Anarka's voice from beyond the doorway.

The band looked at one another panicked not remembering when the last time they mentioned their miraculouses.

Juleka recovered first and whispered, "it's fine."

Luka walked to his mother who was carrying groceries and picked up a bag, "What do you mean?"

"I mean, you're talking about pages but the only people who think of pages with music are musicians," Anarka explained.

"Really?" Luka seemed skeptical.

"Seems that way to me," Anarka shrugged, taking groceries out of the cloth bags. "That's why some musicians actually publish their lyrics as poetry."

Rose sighed dramatically, "Poetry lives forever, it's so romantic."

"And everyone reads it," Ivan agreed.

"Yeah,"  Juika said.

Luka thought about it, it was actually the same and while music lived forever too people remembered lyrics and put them to different tunes and stories over the years, he rushed back to the paper. When he was done he handed the paper to Rose as she seemed the most eager.

"'All the world will read you, you will live forever since I have written you down', I like it!" Rose said eagerly.

Juleka sang it but found it uncomfortable with the pace of the previous lines and changed it, "I'm changing it just a bit if it's okay. 'I have written you down, Now you will live forever, and all the world will read you, and you will live forever' how does that sound?"

Luka nodded, "I like that more. Thanks." Luka sighed, his chest felt light, the unbearable pressure of the song pushing on him had been released, it wanted to be finished but he found that some songs just wanted to be born and this was one of them. Now he could relax, he picked up his guitar to see if he could add anything to it lyrically and found nothing coming but the music seemed to flow and he marked what he wanted, switching to a new sheet of paper for Ivan as this song seemed to require a lot of drums. He would need to talk to Adrien, he had a feeling he wanted some keyboard or piano in this one but he wasn't totally sure.

"Luka?!," Juleka shook his shoulder and he opened his eyes.

"Huh?"

"I've been calling you for like 3 minutes."

"Oh, sorry."

"Ivan left, you've been in your own world, Jagged is here he wants to know if you want to 'bond'," she said curling her fingers in bunny ears as she said bond.

Luka smiled and picked up his sheet music, he put everything in his guitar case and walked to the door, "Sure, are you coming?"

"Nah, Rose and I are going to a concert at her school."

"Sounds cool, have fun."

***

Luka walked outside seeing his mother and Jagged talking on the walkway along the river. They were smiling so that was a good sign. Luka looked over and found Penny holding a clipboard and a leash. The leash was pulling her toward his parents but she was holding it with a death grip keeping both her and the crocodile away as she surreptitiously watched the former couple talk. Luka waved as he walked over to his parents.

"--true for soloists, Jag, but he's going to want to discuss it with the band," Anarka was saying.

Jagged looked at Luka then at the boat but before he could say anything Luka figured him out.

"She's going with her girlfriend to her school's concert."

Jagged nodded then looked at Anarka for guidance. She just lifted her eyebrows as if to say, 'Try,' he frowned but tried, "Did you want to go, too?" he asked tentatively.

"No, I wanted to talk to you about the new song I'm working on. Maman's already heard what we have so far," Luka said.

"Oh, sounds great, let's do it," Jagged looked at Anarka with pride which she just rolled her eyes at and smiled, "Anarka, I'll see you later."

"Bye Maman."

"See you later," she waved to Penny who quickly pretended to not be watching then waved back in a sophisticated but friendly wave. A smirk played around Anarka's lips, she had two teens she knew exactly what was going on with Penny. She turned to Jagged, "Take care of Luka and we need to have a conversation about how you're treating Penny. Fang is bigger than she is and she's expected to control him? Is that her job?"

Jagged sighed, "Nan, can't we have one day without you berating me?"

Anarka nodded, "Just take care of Fang so she doesn't have to. And be nice."

"Yes, Ma'am," he said in English sighing.

Anarka rolled her eyes and walked back onto the boat.

Jagged turned to Luka as they walked to Penny, "You're writing a new song?"

"Yeah, it's coming together really fast, I think we've got the hook but I just can't wait to hear it all."

"What's it about?" Penny asked, surprised when Jagged took Fang's leash, "Oh, thank you," she murmured.

Jagged nodded to her then leaned over to pat Fang, "Yeah, what's it about?"

Luka blushed before his bravery could solidify Jagged nodded sagely.

"A girl? Or a boy?"

Luka turned red, "A girl."

Penny leaned forward to see Luka from around Jagged, "New girl?!"

Luka smiled, "I hope," he said softly. Then pushed his hair over his ear, "But it's also about the music itself."

"What do you mean?" Penny asked.

"Think about the song Layla by Eric Clapton, that song is so old but the woman 'Layla' will live forever because of the song. Every time we write a song about a person they become immortal for as long as the song lives they do too."

Jagged nodded, he'd had this same philosophical discussion with other artists and writers over the years.

"A ballad?" Penny said in surprise, pulling Jagged from his memories, "What did Rose say?"

Luka ran his hand through his hair, "Um, I think she's taking it harder than she's showing me. Especially since… I asked everyone to try singing it and ended up choosing Juleka. I was trying to be objective, she just sounded the best."

Jagged nodded, Juleka had inherited Anarka's husky alto, except she had not inherited Anarka's passion for singing and tended to be more reserved. "How does Juleka feel about being the center of attention?"

Luka smiled, "She's fine with it."

Jagged looked at Penny with a worried look on his face that she mirrored but neither said anything.

"Well, what do you have?" Jagged asked as they neared they crossed the street to the hotel.

"Uh," Luka looked around then pulled the pages out of the guitar case's pocket and handed them to Jagged.

They stopped directly in front of the hotel while Jagged and Penny read the music. When the doorman came toward them to request they move for people to get by Jagged handed him the leash, "Oh, thank you. Service here is impeccable, just take her to her room and send up her favorite please."

The doorman looked down at the crocodile on the other end of the leash with terror but Jagged was leading Penny and Luka away already.

Penny looked over Jagged to Luka, "It's very good. When do you think it'll be ready to perform?"

Jagged turned to her and discreetly shook his head but Penny misunderstood.

"I'm not sure, at the rate, it's coming along, a few weeks if everyone else picks up on it as quickly as they were today," Luka said.

"I have a friend working on the committee for Le Bal des Débutantes and they asked me to help book a young band. They're interested in, Kitty Section."

Luka looked stunned.

Jagged, who had been uncomfortable, seemed to finally relax.

Penny smiled brightly at Jagged then nodded to Luka, "What do you think? Do you think everyone will go for it?"

Luka nodded then frowned and shook his head watching his opportunity to see Alix at her ball disappear before his eyes., "Adrien's a guest, or debutant or whatever they're called. I don't think he'll be able to perform."

"He'd be a 'cavalier'," Penny supplied the term.

"I doubt cavaliers are allowed to be part of the band," Luka said sighing.

Jagged turned to Penny, "Why isn't Luka going?"

Penny turned to Luka who shook his head.

"I don't want to be a, a," he switched to English, "an arrogant rich kid!"

Jagged laughed, "Is that what you think of Adrien? I thought you were friends. Or is that what you think it means in English?"

Luka's mouth fell slightly open and he closed it embarrassed, "He's different."

Jagged nodded, "I think you'll find a lot of the kids going are like him. But I understand if you don't want to go. I didn't even want to go to my prom. But why don't you talk to Adrien and the rest of the band about this opportunity?" Jagged said.

Luka nodded.

Penny smiled holding the paper. "I'd like to know a little more about the song and the mysterious young lady." Luka's cheeks pinkened, and Penny couldn't help but smile he looked so much like Jagged, "Unless it's a secret," she said.

"No, it's just new. I think."

" _ That _ new?" Jagged smiled.

Luka nodded, "We just decided to talk tonight a couple of hours ago."

Penny looked at the music in her hands, this was  _ a lot _ for someone who had only been on his mind for a couple of hours. "How long have you known each other?"

"Uh, six years I think?"

Penny nodded, she must be a school friend, that was sweet, she thought as Jagged spoke to his son.

"How do you know each other?"

"She's Juleka's school friend."

Penny mentally smirked,  _ friend's big brother _ what a cliche, and a rock star, this girl, whoever she was, never had a chance.

"Do I know her?" Jagged asked.

"Her father is the head curator of the Louvre," Luka shrugged.

"Kubdel?" Jagged asked.

Luka nodded, "Her name is Alix."

“Do I know her?” Jagged asked, and Penny winced inwardly. Jagged was having a difficult time remembering Luka had done just fine without his father smothering him his whole life and this could easily turn into one of Jag’s overbearing parenting moments instead of a sweet father-son moment.

“You’ve probably seen her, she comes to everything. She’s in Juleka, and Rose’s group of friends,” Luka replied, not noticing Penny’s tension.

“That’s right you said she was friends with Juleka. She’s friends with Rose too? The whole group? Marinette?” Jagged fished.

“Yeah, that group,” Luka confirmed.

Penny nearly sighed audibly, Marinette was like Jagged’s ‘wholesome meter’. If someone or something was good enough for her then he trusted her judgment.

“I’d love to meet her,” Jagged said with a smile.

Luka pinkened, “Uh, we’re not-- It’s not-- We haven’t…” Luka trailed off uncomfortably.

“Maybe later, after you’ve had some time for yourself,” Penny offered, saving him.

Luka looked at the magenta haired woman gratefully and sighed, “Yeah.”

A few hours later sitting on the deck he plucked at his guitar while thinking of some of the places she’d taken him over the past year. “‘I can’t tell our story out loud, so…’ So? So, what Luka, you’re going to sing about it?”

“Why don’t you?” Juleka said from the stairs.

Luka looked around wildly.

“It’s fine, she’s asleep, she has to wake up early tomorrow. Why don’t  _ you _ sing it, and why don’t you write about it?” Juleka asked.

“What do you want me to say? I look forward to moving backward through time with you?”

“Damn, you don’t even know how good you are do you?” Juleka said.

“I can’t say that, I can’t even write it, Juleka,” Luka said leaning back in the lawn chair.

“Yes, you can, poets write stuff like that all the time, and no one ever thinks they’re superheroes on the side,” Julika laughed as she hopped up on the ping pong table to sit cross-legged in front of her brother.

Luka looked down and his hair covered his face slightly in a very Julika like display and he murmured something.

“Huh?” his sister said.

“It’s embarrassing,” he said, not looking up.

“No it isn’t,” Julika replied, thinking of the things he said to Marinette.

“I sound obsessed.”

_ Yeah, you do, _ “No… It’s normal to have strong feelings at the beginning, why don’t you call Alix? I bet she feels the same way,” Julika said.

Luka looked up hopefully then looked around for his phone, surprised to see it floating in front of his face in Julika’s hand. He smiled, “Thanks.”

“Tell her, I said, Hello.”

“I will,” Luka said, typing the number into his phone he looked up as the phone rang and beeped to tell him she was on the phone with someone else. He was about to hang up and tell Julika she wasn’t available but he was alone on the deck and suddenly he heard Alix’s voice. 

“Oui?”

For a moment he didn’t actually know what to say, what he was  _ supposed  _ to say, then suddenly sanity returned, “Alix? This is Luka.” He heard a soft sigh, that was good,  _ right? _

“Yes, this is Alix,” Alix sat in her bedroom and pulled her phone from her ear and looked at it accusingly then mouthed ‘Yes, this is Alix?!’  _ WHO SAYS THAT this isn’t a business call!! _ She mentally berated herself.

“Good! I hope I’m not calling too late… “ Luka said,  _ why is this so uncomfortable? _ He thought.

“No, not too late. I just got back from errands with my grandmother.”

“Yeah? So, is everything okay with you two?”

“Yeah, we got stuff done for their party they want me to go to,” she said dejectedly.

Luka frowned not knowing what to say… Should he tell her about his day- No that would make it seem like what she was saying was unimportant. Maybe a simple ‘Uh-huh’ but that seemed like a bad idea too- Oh! She’d been waiting a long time  _ Say anything! _ “Wanna come over?”

“Now?”

“Uh…”  _ What were you thinking! “ _ Tomorrow?”

“Sure,” Alix’s voice happily came through the receiver.

“Yeah?” Luka smiled, “10 okay?”

“Yeah, perfect, any particular plans?”

“Don’t you already know?”

“Ha, why do people assume that I just know  _ everything?”  _ Alix said relaxing.

“You usually do, and when you don’t you have an opinion about it,” Luka teased comfortably.

“That’s true except the opinion part, even my opinions are facts,  _ fact _ . I’m very knowledgeable, I’m just willing to share my considerable knowledge with everyone else. You all should be thanking me for educating you,” she joked.

Luka laughed and she joined in. He was one of the few people who knew how smart Bunnix and now Alix was. When she came around to train with the team she was usually sarcastic, competitive, and athletic. But the team (with a few exceptions) didn’t tend to think of her as smart, sarcastic, athletic, or even competitive, they saw her as a bad omen. It didn’t take long for the team to notice Bunnix rarely fought. At first, they thought it was because no one had her phone number but then they realized she knew when to come and would without being called. Ever since the team with the exception of Ladybug, Chat Noir, Pegase, and Viperion viewed Bunnix’s arrival as a bad omen for a fight. Viperion had tried to explain to the team once her being there proved they could get through it. But his logic was not the favorite opinion.

“Did you have somewhere in mind?” Alix asked

“Not really, you?”

“Some _ when?” _ she asked carefully.

“Sure,” Luka smiled.

“I’ll show you my tattoo,” Alix said looking at the inflamed skin.

“You got a tattoo? With your  _ grandmere _ ?!” Luka said shocked, he’d seen Alix’s grandmother when he’d been doing deliveries, she was a walking advertisement for what a classy older woman should look like.

“It’s a tradition in our culture, she has them too,” Alix said partially self consciously partially defensively and more than a little irritably.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to be offensive, I was just surprised.”

“It’s okay, I get it, she doesn’t look like the type of grandmother who’d have tattoos… Like Marinette’s grandmother.”

“I’m not sure if I should agree or not,” Luka replied honestly although that was exactly what he thought.

“Up to you, but it is getting late. See you tomorrow?” Alix said.

“Yeah, tomorrow, here?” Luka said hoping he didn’t sound like a puppy.

“Yeah, sounds good, uh, bye?” Alix said uncertainly.

“Yeah, good… Bye… ?” Luka said but neither of them ended the call

“Um, I’m gonna go now,” Alix said.

“Oh, yeah sure,” Luka replied.

They both ended the call and sighed in relief then,

“Tomorrow!” they both said in unison miles apart.

**Author's Note:**

> *biting nails nervously* I hope you like it, there will be continuity errors because I just decided to put everything up and correct as needed.


End file.
